Attachment for garment steaming and pressing machines



Jan. 25, 1944. J zzo 2,340,136

ATTACHMENT FOR GARMENT STEAMING AND PRESSING MACHINES Filed Sept. 6, 1940 Patented Jan. 25, 1944 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFFCE ATTACHMENT FOR GARMENT STEAMING AND PRESSING MAQ'JMNES a John Mllazzo, Chicago, Ell. Application September 6, 1940, Serial No. 355,564

@laims.

This invention relates to an attachment for a garment steaming and pressing machine and to a method of steaming and pressing garments and has special reference to an attachment for relieving the tendency of the fabric of the garments to shine when steamed and pressed in a pressing machine.

More particularly, this invention relates to an attachment for a garment steaming and pressing machine having a supporting member to which steam is fed for release therefrom through apertures in a face side thereof comprising a perforated plate for contact with a garment to be pressed and means for holding the plate in a spaced relation with the apertured face side of the member for reducing the temperature of the steam released through the apertures thereof and for directing the steam of reduced temperature through the perforations to the garment.

Garment pressing machines ordinarily comprise a cloth padded table or ironing board member called a buck and a conforming clamping member termed a head, which latter is brought down tightly upon the garment resting on the buck while hot steam is released from within the head. Steam for the head is ordinarily furnished at a substantially high pressure and temperature, establishments ordinarily keeping the steam pressure up to approximately sixty to seventy-five pounds per square inch with the steam, therefore, being comparatively dry. Releasiim the hot dry steam through the head of the usual pressing machine while the garment is held under pressure between the head and the buck performs the pressing operation. However, such pressing operation tends to smooth the fabric in such a manner that the fibers thereof will lie flat and tend to give the fabric a glossy appearance. A glossy or shiny appearance of the fabric is, of course, very undesirable in garments.

It has been recognized that the shine resulting from the above usual pressing operation is undesirable and various means have been designed in attempts to alleviate this condition. A layer of wire mesh or screen has been applied to the head for covering the smooth surface provided thereby so that the screen engages the fabric and will present a somewhat roughened surface on the bottom of the head which tends to relieve the glossy appearance of the garment. Subsequently since screen or wire mesh was found not to be sufficiently durable to withstand the strains accompanying the pressing operation, perforated metal plates having roughened bottom surfaces have been provided of sufficient durability to withstand the strains of the pressing operation and have succeeded in overcoming to some extent the usually resultant glossy appearance of the fabric.

While the improvements above noted have all tended to relieve to some extent the glossy appearance of a pressed garment, the present invention contemplates in addition to the use of such structure a means and a method which,

will considerably improve the results obtained therefrom. In hand pressing, an operator dampens the garment or employs a damp pressing cloth over the garment with a subsequent application of pressure and dry heat through a heated hand iron. An initial dampening step, followed by the application of substantially dry heat and pressure, is undoubtedly the most efficient and best method of performing a pressing operation whether the heated member is provided with a smooth garment-contacting sur face or the new improved roughened surface. However, heretofore this operation has been done only by hand so far as applicant is aware.

The present invention, however, contemplates substantially the same above described hand operation by mechanical means in the provision of an attachment comprising a perforated plate having either a'smoothor a roughened surface for contact with a garment to be pressed, there being means for holding the plate in a spaced relation with the apertured side of a supporting member to which steam. is fed for release therefrom through the apertures thereof. The released steam is reduced in temperature by contact with the comparatively cool plate and is thereafter directed through the perforations of the plate to the garment prior to the application of comparatively dry steam and pressure. The perforated plate may, of course, be of fabric, screen, wire mesh, sheet metal, composition material, or the like. Further, a roughened surface may be Drovidedon the plate by stamping, by such a photo-chemical process as is used for providing stippling and printing, or the perforated plate may be etched, electrolytically deposited, or engraved in any desired or suitable manner. While the plate may preferably be of sheet metal, any substantially rigid material may be employed or a desired material may be supported on a frame for rigidity, the material being preferably such as will permit of it being readily cooled, so that the steam of relatively high temperature may be reduced by contact therewith.

The term "plate as used herein and as is used in the claims is meant to include flexible material of sheet form such as fabric, screen, wire mesh, and the like, as well as rigid material such as sheet metal, composition and plastic material, and so forth. Also, the term perforated when related to the term plate is meant to include the interstices between the threads of the fabric, wires of the mesh, etc., as well as the provision of punched or pierced holes in a solid sheet.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an attachment for a garment steaming and pressing machine of the character indicated above in which the material. of the pressed garment will be relieved of the tendency to shine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for steaming and pressing garments which is efllcient and simple in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter be more particularly pointed out and, for a more complete understanding of the characteristic features of this invention, reference may now be had to the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which latter:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a garment steaming and pressing machine shown fragmentarily and having the attachment embodying the features of the present invention secured thereto with a portion of the attachment centrally broken away;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of Fig. 1 with the supporting portion thereof broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a changed position of relatively movable members thereof;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the attachment incorporating the features of the present invention, the attachment being shown as mounted on a portion of a pressing machine which latter is shown fragmentarily; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4 with the intermediate portion thereof broken away.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the pressing machine comprises essentially a support l0 upon which is mounted a cloth padded table or ironing board member I I which has heretofore and which will hereinafter and in the claims he termed a buck. The buck II is adapted to have articles of wearing apparel placed thereon to be engaged by a pressure or clamping member l2 which has heretofore and which will hereinafter and in the claims be termed a head. The head I! is mounted on spaced arms 13 hingedly mounted as at l3a on always hot during the pressing operation and the steam heat supplied for heating the head is ordinarily supplied in addition to that supplied for release through the apertures M. It is not believed to be essential or desirable to trace the path of steam through the head and from the source of supply since heads of this type vary in construction and are well known. The heated head I2 is swung downwardly by the initial grasping of a handle IS, a continuation of the downward movement being obtained by foot pressure on a treadle, not shown. As the operator swings the head downwardly, the handle l2a is manually manipulated to open the valve at the proper time for releasing steam through the apertures l4.

It is usual in establishments for pressing or steam at a high temperature for the pressing operation.

Steam released through the apertures ll of the head I! is, in accordance with the above statement, of a high temperature and dry, and in the initial pressing operation must be converted into a moist steam. In order to accomplish this, a perforated plate It for contact with the garment to be steamed and pressed is secured to the head l2 in a spaced relation with the apertured face thereof. Since the head I! is of substantially oval or so-called ironing board shape and is shown as being concave at its under side, the perforated plate It is shaped likewise so as to contact therewith over the entire face thereof. Of course, if a flexible plate is used, it may not be necessary to preform the plate to conform to the concavity of the head. The head and plate are-shown in the drawing of such a size and shape purely for illustrative purposes since heads and bucks are provided for various pressing operations on garments of various types.

The plate It is preferably of perforated sheet metal or some such material of comparatively small thickness so that it maybe cooled readily as by means of a natural or forced draft circulation through the space between the plate I6 and the face of the head I2. By reason of the fact that the plate It is spaced from the head 12 and a forced or natural air draft is had therebetween, the plate It remains relatively cool or is readily rendered relatively cooler after a pressing operation even though the head I2 remains in a heated condition. The perforations l6a in the plate l6 may, for example when formed in sheet metal, be punched in the sheet so as to leave small annular' burrs projecting downwardly from around the apertures for engagement with the garment to be pressed. The provision of such burrs forms the roughened surface which has been found to be preferable to such a roughened surface as may be provided by screening and the like. However, as has hereinabove been stated, the present method permits the use of an attachment having either a smooth or roughened garment-contacting surface.

The plate It is held in a spaced relation with the head I! by springs I! which releasably hold the plate on the head and guide the plate in its movement in the direction to and from the head. It is, of course, to be understood that various means may be substituted. for the springs I! for guiding and releasably holding the plate in its spaced relation with the head and that such means as are shown in the drawing and described herein are for illustrative purposes only.

When the head I2 is moved downwardly in the direction of the buck H the operator may release steam of high temperature through the apertures M in the face of the head l2- at or just prior to engagement of the plate I 6 with the garment.

The steam of high temperature in contacting the plate l6 of substantially room temperature is reduced to a comparatively wet steam and filters through the perforations of the plate l6 to .the garment for dampening the garment. A continued movement of the head l2 as the plate I6 is in contact with the garment carries the head to a position where it contacts the plate It and pressure is applied to the garment. The relatively thin plate IS in contact with the face of the head l2 becomes heated to or substantially to the temperature of the head whereafter, there being no space remaining between the head and the plate and the plate being substantially the temperature of the head, the steam at high temperature may be forced directly through the perforations to the garment.

Thus the garment is first dampened by the comparatively wet steam whereafter, during actual application of pressure, the pressing operation is obtained by comparatively dry steam.

The method of steaming and pressing garments, as recited above, therefore, consists in supplying steam of relatively high temperature to the niovable head I! of the pressing machine, in releasing the steam through the spaced apertures M in the face of the head manually or automatically at about the time the spaced plate l6 contacts the garment so that a reduction in the temperature of the released steam by contact with the perforated garment contacting plate It dampens the garment, and thereafter in carrying the head downwardly against the compression of the spring I! into contact with the plate It so that the plate l6 heats to substantially the temperature of the head l2 and the released comparatively dry steam from the apertures H passes directly through the perforations of the plate I 6 into contact with the garment at a relatively high temperature during the actual pressing operation. 4

While but a single embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention and, therefore, the same is only to be limited by the scope of the prior art andthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. An attachment for a garment steaming and pressing machine having a heated supporting member to which steam is fed for release therefrom through apertures in a face side thereof, comprising a cooled perforated plate for contact with the garment to be pressed, and means for moving and holding said plate in a spaced relation with said apertured face side of said member when said heated supporting member is moved pressing machine having a supporting member to which steam is fed for release therefrom through apertures in the face side thereof comprising a perforated plate for contact with the garment to be pressed, means for yieldably holding said plate in spaced relation with said apertured face side of said member to provide a cooling area therebetween, said cooling area being open about the edges of said supporting member and said perforated plate to obtain lateral circulation of cooling air therethrough whereby to reduce the temperature of the steam initially released through the apertures and passed through said cooling area to produce on each operation wet steam that is directed through said plate perforations to said garment.

3. An attachment for a garment steam and pressing machine having a supporting member to p which steam is fed for release therefrom through apertures in the face side thereof comprising a perforated metal plate for contact with the garment to be pressed, means on said supporting member for yieldably extending said plate in' spaced relation with said apertured face side thereof to provide a cooling area therebetween, said cooling area being open about the edges of said supporting member and said perforated plate to obtainlateral circulation of cooling air therethrough whereby to reduce the temperature of the steam initially released through the apertures and passed through said cooling area to produce on each operation wet steam that is directed through said plate perforations to said garment.

4. In a pressing machine, the combination of an upper movable head member and a lower buck member, means for feeding steam to said head member for release through spaced apertures in a face thereof, a perforated plate adapted to contact the garment laid upon said buck member to be pressed, means for yieldably holding said plate in an extended position from said apertured face of said head member-whereby a cooling area open at its margins is provided between said head member and said plate when said plate is in its extended position, said head member when moved against said buck member on each pressing operation overcoming the action of said means to hold said plate in its extended position, said means keeping said plate against the garment on said therebetween before said plate is liftedfrom the garment.

to open position whereby to provide a cooling area between said member and said plate, said cooling area being open at its margins to permit substantially unobstructed crosswise movement of cool air whereby to reduce the temperature of steam initially released through the apertures thereof and to produce thereby a wet steam that is directed through said perforations to said garment.

2. An attachment for a garment steaming and 5. In a pressing machine, the combination of an upper movable head member and a lower buck is in its extended position, said head member when moved against said buck member on each pressing operation overcoming the action of said means to hold said plate in its extended position, said 7 means keeping said plate against the garment on said buck member when said head member-is thereafter lifted whereby to provide said coolingarea therebetween before said plate is lifted from the garment. W JOHN IMILAZZQ. 

